The Anticipated School Dance, A Dance of Doom?
by kkcaleb13
Summary: Soul Eater Anime follow-up. It's finally time for the school dance, and everybody is scrambling to prepare! Kid is losing it over trying to make sure he looks perfect for the dance, how far will he go to assure a good impression on dib? Dotew's made all the preparations he needs to make his entrance, but what he doesn't prepare for, just might become his last slip-up…
1. Chapter 1

**In no form or fashion do I own Soul Eater, this is purely a fanfictifon made for fans, super fans, and ultra-über-mega fans, if you are a Super-ultra-mega-über-mega fan, you can enjoy as well. (Episode 3)**

* * *

Maka sighed as she looked through another line of clothes, why did it have to be so hard for her to pick a dress? She didn't bring Soul with her, becuase she didn't think he would take it seriously, but going by herself might have been a mistake…

She decided enough was enough, set the clothes down, and started to walk out of the store when she bumped into someone taller than her. She looked up to see a somewhat-familiar face, "Dotew? What are you doing in a clothes store?"

Dotew scratched the back of his head, "Well, I wanted to get a pretty dress for Master Tsubaki, becuase I know she won't get one herself, but I can't seem to do a good job because I can't find anyone to tell me what colors the clothes are"

"I thought you were blind, how can you buy clothes?"

"I know Master Tsubaki's measurements, just like I know yours and everybody else's. If I meet someone, their body size and shape gets filed away into my head, so I can buy clothes for anyone I've met, the only problem is…"

Makara nodded, "You can't tell what the colors are. Well, I was actually looking for someone to help me pick out a dress, could you help me pick one?"

"Hm… well, I don't know if the color is right, but…", Dotew walked over to a shelf and picked up a deep, scarlet dress with ruffles on the chest and near the bottom, "… this dress would complement the shape of your body, and it's your size"

Maka looked at the tag, he was correct, not to mention, she loved it, "Wow, thank you"

"Um… what color is it? I can make out everything else, but I can't make out the image if I don't know what color it is, so I can't tell you how it looks"

"It's a really deep red"

"Light or dark?"

"It leans towards dark, but it isn't too dark"

"Like, a good scarlet, or a heavy crimson?"

"Good scarlet"

"I see it, it looks good on you"

"I haven't put it on yet…"

"I know, but if you do, I'm sure you'll be stunning in it. The only thing missing would be a pair of white heels… I wonder if any of the pairs in the back are white?"

"You can sense them from here?"

"Yes, there's at least… twelve pairs in your size in the back, they aren't in the front, so we'll have to ask someone to get them for us. I'll go do that, in the meantime, could you start thinking of colors that would look good on Master Tsubaki?"

"Sure", Maka watched as he walked away, and to be honest, she felt a little jealous of Tsubaki. Dotew was so kind and innocent, his eyes captivated the gaze of any girl for a mile, and on top of that, he was undoubtably loyal. But even so, she knew she wouldn't fall for him, Maka wasn't sure why, but she just didn't have it in her to swoon over him.

Maka was looking at larger dresses when she felt someone put their hand on her shoulder, "Don't yell, or I'll hurt you"

Maka turned to see that it was Isabel that had grabbed her shoulder, "Isabel? What are you doing?", Maka didn't generally like Isabel, because she'd turned Soul down on his offer for a date without so much as blinking, leaving him depressed for a day, nearly getting Maka killed.

"Why are you picking out clothes with Dotew?"

"He's blind, so I'm helping him find the right color clothes"

"Then how come he just went to ask about white heels? I don't think he would wear those"

"Listen, Isabel, he's just a friend of a friend that showed up asking for help, so I'm helping him out"

Isabel stared at her for a long moment, "Swear?"

"I swear"

Isabel's confident glare melted into a sad mushy beg, "Can I help, too? Please?"

Maka didn't like the position she was in, she knew she shouldn't take advantage of someone while they were down, "Why do you want to help me?"

"No! Can I help Dotew?! I want to talk to him, and if it's clothes, I can be confident! So can I help, pleeeeeeeeeeeeease?"

Maka couldn't look at her beg anymore, "Fine, just be nice, okay?"

Isabel nodded, "Yes!"

Dotew came back with a stack of boxes, "These should all be heels, but I can't tell which are white. Try the third box from the bottom, that pair should be the most comfortable. Who's your friend, Maka? She smells… nervous, is something wrong?"

Isabel held her hands up, "No, no, nothing at all, I just wanted to help you look for clothes, since you're Maka's friend, and you might have trouble finding some that are the right color"

Dotew smiled and shrugged, "Why not, the more, the merrier. Wait… Maka, that dress you just touched, pick it up again"

Maka pulled out a dress that was made for someone with a perfect, hourglass figure, unfortunately, it was a really ugly shade of orange, "This one?"

"Yes! That one! The size, the shape, it's perfect! What color is it?!"

"A brownish-orange"

Dotew hung his head, "No… but I can't sense another one like it… what am I going to do, this dress was my first choice… it was the best in the store…"

Maka smiled and patted him on the back, "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find another one"

"But this was the last store in town…"

"Um, Dotew, how long have you been looking for a dress?"

"Since yesterday… I was really hoping that this would be the one…"

Isabel looked at the dress, "Well, if you used the right dye and a small spell, you could change the color without shrinking the dress"

Dotew shook his head, "No, I swore I wouldn't use magic to make this dress, so I won't. It means a lot more than some spell, so I'm just gonna have to work hard and get the dress before tomorrow!"

Isabel marveled at him, "That's so sweet…"

"I'm gonna get Master Tsubaki the best dress ever by tomorrow, even if I have to buy it off a traveling gypsy!", with that, Dotew charged out of the store, determination and hope in his eyes.

Isabel looked crushed, "Tsubaki…?"

Maka patted Isabel on her shoulder, "Don't worry, it's not what you think, he just looks up to her"

Isabel noticed the dress Maka was holding, "That's a really pretty red, are you gonna buy that dress?"

"Maybe, I haven't tried it on yet. Dotew told me I should try it on with some white heels"

Isabel looked in one of the boxes and found a pair of white stilettos, "Oh, these are nice, here, go try them on"

Maka sighed as she changed into the dress and heels, to be honest, the shoes were the ones Dotew had suggested, and he was right, they fit perfectly, without hurting her feet. She stepped out of the changing room feeling like a princess, so she twirled around in her dress, just to be playful with it, "How's it look?"

Isabel was stunned, "The way the ruffles are patterned near the bottom of the dress really makes your tiny feet stand out. That and the ruffles on your chest make you look so elegant, it's amazing!"

"I guess Dotew was right", Maka smiled at herself in the mirror, she looked beautiful in her dress, Dotew had officially impressed her.

Isabel closed her mouth, "He's even good with fashion! No, he's amazing with it! I never would've thought of these clothes for you Maka, he's even more perfect than I thought!"

"Um, Isabel? He's gone"

"I'm not worried, I'll find the perfect dress and see him at the dance!", with that, Isabel walked calmly out of the store, a confident smile set on her face.

Maka was just glad she found a dress that she actually liked.

* * *

Kid found himself staring in disgust at his bathroom mirror, "Damn it, why now, of all times?"

Liz walked in, "What's wrong, Kid? You've been in here for two hours now"

"It's this single hair on my left eyebrow, it's driving me mad, I cannot seem to catch it"

Liz looked at his eyebrows, "I don't see anything"

He pointed at his left eyebrow, "There! Damn that two millimeter pest, why this week, of all weeks, did you have to rear your ugly head?!"

"Kid, I'm sure that nobody will notice"

Kid slammed his fist against the counter, "No, I cannot allow myself to be defeated by such a small detail! I will achieve victory over this unsightly garbage!"

Liz finally saw the single hair, "Kid, there's another one just like this on your other eyebrow, you're fine"

Kid took a closer look at his other eyebrow, "Ahem… it seems that you are correct"

"What's got you so worked up, Kid? You're usually less crazy the week of the dance, but this year, you've gone absolutely insane"

"I must be perfect if I am to attend this dance! There can't be a single follicle of my being out of place!"

Patty laughed, "Kid and dib, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Kid didn't say anything, it was the truth, he was utterly horrified that he might show up to the dance and embarrass himself by looking horrible. Liz waved her hand, "Whatever, Kid, just don't spend all day in here, okay?"

Kid nodded, "I'll try to keep it short… perhaps this would go faster if I aquired an assistant…"

* * *

Tsubaki looked over her homework one last time, checking to see if it was right. It was almost four o'clock, so she had done enough studying for today. What to do? She didn't really want to go shopping for a dress, since she didn't care about the dance. Maybe she just needed something different. What was the café that Dotew told her about?

Uncle Bob's, that was it, maybe she would give that place a try. After a quick walk she found herself walking into it, it was a little like a retro-diner, with a bar for eating and some furniture for people that just wanted to relax. The first person she noticed was the big, burly-looking man smiling as he drank from a small mug, "Ah, it's been too long since I had a sip of this fresh-brewed goodness"

Tsubaki heard a voice come from the kitchen, "Oh, Joe, what am I going to do with you? How am I supposed to serve everyone else if you keep finishing your coffee so quickly?", then, from the two doors emerged a girl with long, red hair, dog-like ears, wearing a maid's outfit, holding a tray full of plates of food and smiling, "I'll have to brew another cup for you in a second"

The man known as Joe scratched the back of his head, "Sorry, Melia, it's just that you make the best coffee"

The girl in the outfit smiled as she finished passing out plates, "I try my best for our faithful customers, Joe, that's all I can do"

Joe shook as he finished off the cup, "That last sip is what really makes the cup, it makes you want to dance!"

Melia smiled, "You always wanna dance, Joe! Alright, I've only got a few minutes left before my shift ends, so I can only get you one more cup"

Joe sighed, "Melia, why do you have to stop brewing this heavenly goodness? Why can't you work here twenty-four seven?"

Melia put the cup of coffee down, "Because I have other things I have to do Joe"

"Oh, that's right, I forgot, you said something about a charity event? You just spread happiness everywhere you go, don't you?"

"No, I just enjoy the charity work, and I know how hard a lot of those people have it"

"One day, you're gonna find someone that'll be lucky enough for you to fall in love with, just promise me you'll still work here afterwards"

"I like this job, but it doesn't pay as much as I'd like…"

"Now that's the first time I've ever seen you frown, here", Joe placed a large amount of cash on the counter, a 200% tip, "The coffee isn't as good without you here anyway"

Melia smiled, "I appreciate it, Joe, but I need to earn the money myself"

"You did, by officially making the best coffee ever"

"Joe… thank you, Joe"

Tsubaki watched as Melia put half of her tip back into the register, then returned to the kitchen. Tsubaki sat down next to Joe, "Hey, I've never been here before, is there anything good, besides the coffee?"

Joe nearly spilt his coffee, "Listen, you may be new here, but let me tell you something, Melia, the waitress here, could make food good enough to bring a tear to even Lord Death's eyes, and that's a fact"

Tsubaki looked back at the menu to find that the prices were a little low for as good as they'd been described, "So… what should I pick?"

"Pick whatever sound's best, you'll never find a better version of it anywhere. It's too bad that the chef here only works whenever she needs to. Bless that girl, she practically runs this place when she's here, and when she isn't, she's busy at charity events. But enough rambling, if you don't order soon, she might leave before she can make your meal"

Melia came back out of the kitchen, "Hello, what can I…", for a second, Melia just stared at Tsubaki, then she spoke very monotonously, "… help you?"

"Is there any chance you could squeeze in a plate of curry for me?"

Melia flinched, "I-Isn't there something else you'd like more…?"

"No, no, out of everything on the menu, it's the quickest thing you can make, I don't want you to be late for your charity event"

Melia sighed, "Of course, that's just like you"

"What?"

"Nothing! Nothing! Just talking to myself, so, one curry special?"

"Yes, please"

Melia came back with a curry special, dressed in normal clothes, "Here, I made it earlier, but it's still warm"

"Oh, by the way, what kind of charity event are you going to? I don't have anything to do later, so I might be able to go-"

Melia held her hands up, "No! No! No! No! No! You can't go!"

"Are you okay?", Tsubaki wasn't sure what to say to her sudden outburst.

"Oh, you're so kind to worry about me, Ma-", Melia covered her mouth and dashed out of the café, without saying a word.

Joe looked at the still-swinging door, "That was weird, Melia's usually much friendlier than that. Do you know her?"

Tsubaki took a bite of the curry, "This is…"

* * *

Maka sighed into the phone, "Kid, no, this sounds rediculous"

Kid begged and pleaded from the other side, "Please! Maka! Liz and Patty aren't allowed inside, and neither am I! I need you to help me, please! Just this once!"

"No, Kid, I'm not going to a dating café. I don't care how special it is"

"Please, this café is infamous for only having female customers and never letting any of them leave without garunteed satisfaction!"

"So why do you need me to go inside?! I don't care about a stupid café!"

"Maka, there's a guy who works there, according to customers, he is capable of winning the heart of any girl, any girl at all, but he only takes girls that are emotionally distant or ones with broken hearts!"

"And exactly _which_ of those catagories do I fit under?"

Kid, sensing the danger through the phone, decided to leave it alone, "All that matters is that you get in, and get him to come back out with you, please? I'll do anything!"

"Anything?"

"Anything! Just help me out!"

"Let me borrow your library card for a month, and I'll do it"

"Done! Thank you Maka, I'll send you the adress and meet you there!"

Maka sighed, what had she gotten herself into?

* * *

Kid tapped his foot impatiently, "Where is she? We agreed upon eight o'clock"

Maka rubbed her eyes as she walked up to Kid, "Are you sure this is the place? This looks like an abandoned house"

Kid looked at the piece of paper in his hand, "Acording to a reliable source, this is the place, but I am starting to have doubts myself… why are you dressed like you just got back from running a marathon?"

Maka looked down at her sweatpants and hoodie, "You said to make it hard to get close to guys, so I did"

Kid held his nose, "You might have overdone it, I can tell you ran here without asking"

Maka looked at the door, "So, I just go inside?"

"Yes, they should be waiting for customers inside"

She sighed, "Fine", and pushed the door open, revealing a bright, lovely light. Though the outside may have been dusty and faded, the inside was anything but, from the spotless floors to the polished wood furniture, it was beautiful. The sight was enhanced by the presence of several people, each of them entirely different from the next, some were normal, some looked strange, but no matter where you looked the girls were smiling and laughing. It was as if each boy had been placed where he made the girls he was with happiest, wether they were talking sweetly or playing around, there wasn't a frown to be found.

She was marveling as she saw a towel held out by a hand, "Here, it looks like you had a long trip here"

Maka looked to see the owner of the hand was a tall, kind-faced man with black hair and brown eyes, "What is this?"

"This is the Venus café, made to bring women happiness and encourage the wonder that is love, please, make yourself at home. Sit wherever you like, and if you need anything, just ask, I'll be there in no time"

Maka looked around, she couldn't fathom how or why a place like this had been made, so she just wandered around for a while, listening to the conversations and trying to decide where she should start. After a long and exasperating look, she decided to sit at an empty table and started reading. She didn't get far before a shadow started covering her words.

Maka turned to see a handsome boy with beautiful, blonde hair and deep blue eyes staring at her book, "Oh, sorry, I just haven't gotten the chance to read that book yet, and I couldn't help myself"

Maka sighed, "Listen, I'm here to see the leader of this… café or whatever, so unless your him, could you please leave me alone?"

"You really like that book, huh?"

"Yes, it's a good book, now please, go away"

"Why? You're not reading it seriously, of you were, you'd have finished it by now. There are a couple marks from where the book had been held, so it isn't new, yet you seem to like it and haven't finished it. You must be too busy thinking about someone"

"What? No"

The boy smiled, "Come on, I can tell you've got someone on your mind"

"Why do you care?"

"Because I like to make people happy, that's why I'm here. You look like you could be happy, yet there's something about the way you look at the book, the way your eyes hesitate at random, and not for the words on the paper. If ever I've seen a distracted girl, who hid herself away in a book, albeit at good one, then that would be you. So tell me, why are they on your mind?"

Maka fidgeted, what was it about this guy that made he want to spill her guts? Whatever it was, it worked, "It's my partner, I'm worried that he's gonna freak himself out and hurt himself trying to make sure I don't get hurt"

The blonde boy smiled, "Ha ha ha ha! Wow, he must really care about you, to worry himself into trouble. Listen, if he's so tense that he can't move, then you need to coax him out of his shell. Don't ask him how he feels, tell him how you feel, in all honesty, then wait for him to tell you. So, how do you feel about him?"

"… If you're looking for a date, I'm not interested"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! I'm sorry, I don't mean any disrespect, but I don't think I could date you"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I love whole-heartedly and don't give up on it, it's the reason I started this café. 'To let all your heart pour out over a warm cup of tea', that's what I said when I started it all. What about you? You seem more the type to hold your heart near, and only share it with people that are special to you"

"I can't tell if you're insulting me or praising me anymore"

"Insults are the tools of idiots determined to bring the more intelligent people down to their level. Additionally, I could never insult a woman, it would be a strike against my heart, because all women are beautiful, in some way or another, and to hurt them would be a sin"

"Do you try to sweet-talk every girl you meet with a line like that?"

"You really think I'm nothing more than a dog, hellbent on chasing skirts, don't you?"

"Why else would you build a café like this?"

"Because this organization is purely a charity-oriented one, and all of the proceeds go to people I can relate with"

"Who?"

"Orphans, the blind, and the workers here"

"This place is a charity for the blind?"

"Partially, yes"

"Still, aren't there better ways to hold a charity?"

"No, of everything I've tried, this has been the most successful and if I can do my best, I will. Besides, I wouldn't be here to chase tail if I was paid to"

"Why not?"

"I have someone special"

"Do they know about this place?"

He was about to answer that question when Kid burst through the doors, "Did you find him, Maka?", Kid found her table and looked at the blonde boy, "Well done, Maka"

The blonde boy held his hands up, "Hold up, wait, I'm not doing anything wrong"

Kid smiled, "I'm aware, I came her to ask you for your expertise in a certain area"

The blonde boy turned to walk away, "Sorry, but I'm not-", he stopped halfway, realizing that something had fallen out of his pocket. He dove to grab it, but he was too slow, Maka had taken in her hands and discover that it was a blue dog collar, with a yellow pendant on it, which read 'Dotew'.


	2. Chapter 2

Maka and Kid just sat silently, staring across the table in the VIP room, waiting for the blonde boy to explain himself. There was no mistaking it, the collar he'd dropped was the same one that Tsubaki had given Dotew, the same one he'd been wearing like a badge of honor that morning. Maka got fed up with his silence and slammed her hands against the table, "Who are you?!"

The boy flinched at the question, "… I'm…"

Kid squinted, "You are Dotew, aren't you? Your features have been smoothed out a bit, probably using cosmetics, but your face and voice altogether are the same. Unless Dotew has a twin, which I seriously doubt"

The blonde sighed, "… Yeah, it's me", with a wave of his hand, his hair darkened to its natural brown, "I didn't mean to deceive you, it's just that I really need this right now"

Maka tilted her head, "Why?"

"I found a dress for Master Tsubaki, but I can't afford it yet. I've been working ever since I found it, and this is the only place where I can work at this hour. And…"

"And…?"

"When the day of the dance arrives, I won't be in control of myself, my alternate personality, Ares, will"

"You have an alternate personality?"

"That's why I need this tonight that much more, here, everything I say and do is 100% what I believe and think. I just need the control and safety I feel here while I can still get it"

Maka felt bad, she had no idea he felt so vulnerable, even though he was insanely strong. Kid stood up, "I have no intention of disturbing you while you are conducting activities that are good for you, however, I must ask that you hear out my request"

Dotew looked up at him, "Request?"

"Like I said, I need your expertise"

"What expertise?"

"You are the leader of this establishment, are you not? Isn't it true that you are very well-hearsed in the ways of impressing women?"

"Hold up", Dotew ran his hand through his hair, turning it back into a light, beautiful blonde, "I'm sorry, but I cannot be serious unless I am focused"

Kid crossed his arms, "I would politely ask that you teach me how to… impress a girl"

Maka looked at him with her jaw on the ground while Dotew shook his head, "You're already taking the wrong approach, first, if you just want to make an impression, you wouldn't come here. Second, what you _really_ want to do is make an impact, you want this girl to see you for who you are, don't you?"

Kid was stunned, he was by all means, correct, "That's…"

Maka was impressed, it was the first time she'd ever seen Kid sweat over something that had nothing to do with symmetry. Dotew put his hands on Kid's shoulders, "This isn't the time to hesitate and think, if right now, at this moment, this girl was looking at you, what would you say to her?"

Kid's mind was bombarded with things he wanted to be able to say, unfortunately, the best his mouth could perform was, "… Hello…?"

Dotew smiled, "That's what your mouth says, what does this say?", Dotew placed his index finger on Kid's chest, right over his heart, "Don't be afraid, just let it out"

Kid's knees shook and his stomach felt tight, he wasn't sure he had it in him, "I… I…"

Dotew smiled, "There you go, just a little more"

"L… love…"

"Almost there…"

Kid's nerve broke, "… no, I can't say it"

Dotew nodded, "Good job, Kid"

"What for? I couldn't say it…"

"So? You came out to a dirty mansion in the middle of the night just to make sure you didn't mess up. It's not about the words you say, it's how and when you say them. If you said them right now, they'd mean little to nothing, but if you find that one moment, when the time is right, you tell her how you feel, and don't be afraid. With your dedication and true feelings, you can't go wrong, just do what feels right"

Kid was stunned, "But what if-"

"No 'what if's, 'what if's are for cowards. What you need to think isn't 'what if', but, 'it will'. Not, 'what if she hears how I feel', 'she will _know_ how I feel', that's the change you need to make"

Maka thought about it, that kind of advice sounded like an all-or-nothing ultimatum. Maka wondered if that was alright for someone that was so easily offset by a lose of control over small details to attempt. But Kid didn't seem opposed to it, "Make sure she knows…?"

Dotew nodded, "I can't give you a promise it'll work, but if you really do love her, then this is the right way to go", he smiled convincingly, then his expression faded into a distant stare.

Maka tapped him on the shoulder, "Dotew? You alright?"

After a long pause, Dotew yawned and stretched his arms, "Finally, I thought he'd never give out"

"What are you talking about?"

Dotew drew his face into a sharp, wicked grin, "Now, it's time to have some fun"

Dotew turned to leave when Maka grabbed him by the shoulder, "Dotew, where are you going?"

He brushed her hand off, "I ain't the kid, I'm Ares, and I say we get this party started"

"You're Dotew's alternate personality?"

Ares scoffed, "I _hate _it when he calls me that. Listen up, runt, I'm Ares, the embodiment of battle, and if you're gonna keep playing me down, I'm gonna show you how it feels to have every bone in your body broken at the same time, chapice?"

Kid pointed at him, "Maka, look at his soul!"

Maka took a quick peek to find that his soul was completely different from when she'd seen if before, the strong and gentle had now become arrogant and violent, "What the?"

Ares ran his hand through his hair, "Get it through your thick skulls, I'm not a part of this kid's brain, I'm a spirit that got sealed in his soul"

"How would that happen?"

"A little black magic and a whole lot of patience can get you farther than you'd expect. I only get as much time as I can take, so if you'll excuse me, I haven't had a good party in quite some time, so I'm off to have a VERY good time"

"Wait! What about Dotew?"

"The kid? He exhausted himself, mentally and physically, working himself to the bone to try and buy some dress for his master. I really don't care, so I'm gonna take my time while the getting's good"

"And what about Tsubaki's dress?"

"Like I said, I don't care"

"So, what, you're just going to force him into not getting it because you're bored?"

"He could get it whenever he wants, just a wave of the hand, and he could make one, easy"

"He said it meant too much for him to use magic to make it"

"… He said that?"

"Yeah, he said that it would be meaningless if he just did it that way"

Ares sighed, "I swear… the kid's a charmer, I'll give him that. Fine, where am I right now?"

"The Venus café"

"Why doesn't that surprise me? Do either of you two know what time it is?"

Kid answered swiftly, "It is eight fifteen"

"Damn, well, there's only two things to do at a time like this"

"And those things are…?"

"Give up and party like there's no tomorrow"

"Or…?"

"No, that's it"

"You're a special kind of stupid, aren't you?"

"Hey! I was joking! Get a sense of humor, anyway, the best thing we can do is go down to the fighting ring"

"Fighting ring?"

"Yeah, there's a special martial arts dojo about ten miles away from Death City, it's a small place, but they only accept world-class fighters. If we go, make some bets, win some fights, we'll get the money in no time"

"We are not exactly average fighters, I don't think we'll be fighting fairly if we enter"

"You and your conscious… don't worry, there are seals all over the place, so no magic can be used on the inside. It doesn't matter what you do, if it's a spell or aura of any kind, it dissipates the second you walk through that door. Same goes for special ability, even if I walked in there, I would only have the strength that this body can provide, not that that's anything to sneeze at"

Maka gave Ares a dirty look, "What's with this 'we'? I don't know any special martial arts"

Ares bared his fangs, "If you think you're getting out of this, think again. I'm good, but I can't win all the cash we need, the two of you are coming with me to help win the money, even if I have to drag you"

Kid got right in his face, "And if we refuse?"

Ares held up a reciete, "Then you can pay for your fees as a customer here, along with the personal counciling"

Kid looked at the bill, "You… can't be serious!"

Ares shrugged, "This place wasn't built on cheap dirt, Dotew has to set the bar high, or it'll all come crashing down. Normally, he'd let the two of you off the hook, but since I ain't him, you've got to pay"

Maka walked over to look at the bill, "How bad could it be?", she reached the bottom numbers, "… This is more digits than my phone number…"

"If you hadn't used the VIP room, it would've been cut in half, but you pushed for both the privacy and an explanation. So what'll it be? Are you going to come quietly, or…", Ares flashed a red aura, turning his hair the same color and effectively intimidating the two of them,"… is this gonna get messy?"

Kid and Maka looked to each other, then nodded, the choice was obvious…

* * *

Blackstar stared angrily out his window, he'd given up on being bored, now he focused his attention on the rumors swirling around the school. None of them had to with him, if it wasn't a rumor about Dotew, it was one about some weird mansion, or some fear-using miester, or something that had nothing to do with him. Well, enough was enough, he dove out of his window and started walking towards Tsubaki's place.

He'd settle who was really the best assassin ever, by killing Dotew. At least, that's what he was thinking, whenever he heard Tsubaki calling out from behind him, "Dotew! Dotew! Dotew, where are you, please come home!"

Blackstar turned to see that Tsubaki was running in his direction, and she only stopped when she needed to catch her breath. She hadn't even noticed him until he spoke, "Something wrong, Tsubaki?"

Tsubaki spoke between pants, "Dotew… café… curry… girl…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down and talk"

"This girl… at Uncle Bob's café… made curry… just like Dotew's… and he hasn't come home yet…"

"I thought he had to do whatever you told him to? Why isn't he coming to you?"

"I don't know. I'm worried about him, Blackstar, can you help me find him?"

"Well, he's a dog… so where do dogs go when they run off?"

"I don't know, chasing cars, digging through trash, dogs usually stay close to their owners"

"Well, is there anybody who is supposed to watch him, other than you?"

"No, I can't think of anybody…"

"What about Lord Death?"

"Lord Death?"

"Yeah, Lord Death knows him pretty good, right? Wouldn't he have an idea where Dotew went?"

"Good thinking, Blackstar!", Tsubaki walked over to a window and wrote the numbers on it, opening up a line to a very sleepy-looking reaper.

Lord Death yawned, "Tsubaki? Is that you? It's getting late, shouldn't you be getting some sleep right about now?"

"Lord Death, Dotew hasn't come home yet, I've looked all over for him, but I can't find him anywhere, do you know wher he could've gone?"

The reaper sighed, "Hm… that's strange, as long as I've known him, Dotew has never been out longer than he's supposed to be. But, there are two places he might be at this time of night"

"Where?"

"The first is a special martial-arts dojo not too far out of town, it's a dangerous place where even the strongest of fighters can be brought to their knees in mere seconds. If I had to bet, that's probably where he is now"

"What about the second place?"

"Oh, don't worry, around this time of year, Dotew doesn't visit there very often. It's a wonderful place, but if his heart isn't in it, Dotew won't go. Just take a quick look at the outside of the dojo, if his name is upside-down on the plaque near the door, it means he's inside"

"Thank you, Lord Death!"

"Good luck!"

Blackstar cracked his knuckles, "A martial arts dojo, huh? Finally, a place where I can show off my ultimate assassin skills!"

Tsubaki felt sweat run down her forehead, "Just don't do anything too crazy, okay?"

* * *

Ares kicked the door open, and the inside of the dojo became silent, of every tough-looking fighter in the room, none of them had the guts to say anything to him. Maka and Kid followed him slowly, both of them extremely mad, but the cloth in their mouths and chains around their arms made it hard for them to complain. They had no idea Ares was skilled enough to subdue them without hurting them, and now, they realized that Ares was more serious about helping Dotew than they were.

Ares held his left hand up, "Alright, listen up! Ares is here, and he's accepting challenges!"

One of the tough-looking guys stood up, "How do we know you aren't Dotew?"

Ares pulled Maka and Kid's chains, "Because I brought in a better bet than Dotew would, a first-class meister and Lord Death's son, if I had to guess, I'd say they have at least… fourteen objects on them, maybe thirty, including clothes, all worth about maybe ten times more than what you can find at any store. That, and every cent I've got in my pocket, and trust me, I have PLENTY"

The big guy rubbed his chin, "Show us the cash"

Ares flashed a huge stack of bills from his pocket, "This what you're looking for?"

The entire club let out a sigh of relief, "You really are Ares. Alright then, you go change, we'll get you an opponent with a bet to match yours"

Ares smiled as he dragged Maka and Kid behind him, "Pleasure as always", once he reached a big, empty room, he removed the chains and cloths from their mouths.

Maka chopped his head, "What the hell are you doing?!"

Ares brushed the book off of his head, "Getting cash, the only way that Dotew can't"

Kid rubbed his wrists, "Why can't Dotew fight here?"

Ares shook his head, "That kid is one crazy fighter, his martial arts are entirely based off of his incredible tolerance for pain. The only person that hurts worse than he does when he fights is his opponent. Best part is, he only beats them badly enough so they can't fight back, he's never sent anybody to a hospital, ever"

"Could he really fight so unpleasantly?"

"He once broke his arm when he tweaked a punch, he didn't even bother to pull or dodge any punches the entire match. His opponent in that fight refused to fight here ever again, becuase he never wanted to face something like that ever again. The regulars here used to fight against him, train with him, but at some point, he just was too strong for them handle, so he isn't allowed to fight here anymore"

"And you are?"

"On a level playing field, me and Dotew are about on the same level, however, if all our normal powers were taken out of the equation, Dotew's skills alone surpass mine"

"Isn't that… strange?"

"For a kid to surpass a god at his own game? Normally, yeah, it'd be impossible, but for that kid… nothing's impossible", Ares stared at the wall for a moment, letting his comment ruminate, "Anyway, you two should go watch the fight, I like a bigger audience better"

"Wait, what happens if you lose?"

"I won't"

"Okay… but in a parallel universe, what would happen if you lost?"

"Then the two of you would be walking home in bath robes and I would lose all of Dotew's hard-earned money. But like I said, that'll never happen", Ares looked them in the eyes, "I don't know how to lose, that's why I need the kid"

Maka saw the seriousness in his eyes as he spoke, "Come on Kid, if he loses, we'll let _him_ handle it, let's just watch the fight"

Kid followed Maka out the door as Ares sat down. Ares closed his eyes, and thought really hard, "Hey, kid, it's me, Ares"

Ares heard a faint voice in his head, "Ares… I need to…"

"No, kid, you've run yourself into the ground, you get some rest, I promise I'll take care of it"

"You… promise…?"

"Yeah, kid, I promise, no matter what, I'm gonna get you that cash while you rest, alright? You just rest, and let me finish this"

"I… have to… get the… dress…"

"Damn it, kid, that's what I'm doing! I'm gonna fight for it, alright? No magic, no help, just me against the other guy"

"I… have to… earn it…"

"Kid, you can consider this earned, since you… let me see"

"That wasn't… for a reward…"

"And that's why you get one. So shut up and get some rest, if I don't win this, I'll make the dress myself"

"You hate… sowing"

"Do I suck at it?"

"No"

"Then I can do it"

"Thank you… Ares…"

Ares stood up, wrapped his knuckles in bandages, then wrapped some around his mouth, "Anytime, kid"

* * *

Blackstar looked at the sign next to the wall, "Yep, that's his sign, upside-down"

Tsubaki was worried, "Why is he here?"

"I think the real question it, why haven't I been here?! This place can't be that great, otherwise, I'd have heard of it! I'm going inside!", Blackstar stormed in, kicking the door open, "Hey, where's Dotew?!"

The fighters, who all were bigger than Blackstar, shivered at the mention of Dotew's name, only one of them had the courage to answer, "He's not here, but Ares is"

Blackstar waved his hand, "Ares, Dotew, whatever his name is, I wanna fight him, now!"

The large fighter pointed to the hallway on his left, "Second door on the right is a changing room, the fight starts in ten minutes, wear the clothes in there"

Blackstar strutted down the hallway, "Finally! A place with a decent crowd!"

Tsubaki looked around nervously, "Ares is here?"

The fighter looked at her, "You know him?"

"Well, not very well, but I know Dotew…"

"Ah… you must be Tsubaki, have you ever seen Dotew fight before?"

Tsubaki shook her head, "No, I haven't"

"Come on, you should watch this fight. Ares is fighting for Dotew tonight, so in a way, I'm sure Ares would appreciate it if you would watch"

Tsubaki let the man lead her to a circular fighting ring, surrounded by several seats, where she sat a seat or two away from the front, "Ares is fighting for Dotew?"

"In his own way, Ares sees objects that are nice, like money or good food, as a sign of affection. So when he comes here, and bets those things, he isn't doing it because he wants more, he's doing it because he needs more. He wouldn't come here unless he had to, either, because when he comes in here, Ares doesn't have the same power he has anywhere else, he's more vulnerable"

Tsubaki thought about that as more people started walking into the room, sitting down and getting ready to watch the fight. The lights went dark as a loud speaker spat out a booming voice, "Honorable ladies and gentlemen, let us begin the martial-art elitist match! First, the challenger, a miester from the DWMA, a dark comet flying by silently, the assassin, Blackstar!"

Blackstar walked out into the ring, looking very please with his introduction, "Oh, yeah! Let's do this!"

"And now, the reigning, eight-year champion, the side that burns with a flair for the fight, Ares!", Tsubaki watched as Ares walked out calmly, his red hair making him look very sinister.

Ares sighed, "So you're Blackstar, huh? I'll try not to drag this out"

Blackstar scoffed, "You're right, I'll make sure this is over in a few seconds"

The announcerspooked over the speaker, "Remeber, fighters, no low-blows, no cheap shots, and no weapons! Begin!"

"Should I put away my fists-", if he had another second, Blackstar might have finished that sentence, but Ares had already started with a hard, right hook to the gut.

Ares followed it up with a left uppercut right into Blackstar's face, "Stay focused!", Ares then began to swing wildly, somehow creating a string of unavoidable attacks. After Blackstar finally found an opening, he unloaded an assault of his own onto Ares, making sure to put some heavy damage on his upper body.

When the first ten-minute round ended, both of them were covered in bruises and only a few more hits away from falling over. Ares spit the blood out of his mouth and looked up, seeing Kid and Maka on the edge of their seats. Ares smiled and started laughing, "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! You're tough, star-boy, but now, I'm gonna have to end this"

Blackstar smirked, "At this rate, I'm gonna finish you off in no time!"

"Normally, I'd have to agree, but not tonight…", Ares smiled insanely as he slammed his shoulder into the wall, dislocating it, "… tonight, victory is mine!"

Gasps spread through the crowd, and Tsubaki was confused, "Why did he do that?!"

The fighter looked afraid, "That's one of Dotew's moves… he's going to end it here, with one hit"

"By dislocating his shoulder?"

"Just watch, you'll see it"

Ares stood up as the second round began, his right arm unable to move. Black star showed no mercy, persuing him violently. Ares avoided each attack by turning to his right, until Blackstar was swinging like a madman and Ares was spinning like a top, until in a single motion, Ares stopped all of his momentum, relocating his shoulder and putting every ounce of his strength into a single, insanely strong punch that connected directly with Blackstar's chest.

When Blackstar hit the floor, for ten long seconds, there was silence unlike anything Tsubaki had ever heard before. It was eire, like there had been a murder in front of everyone, yet nobody wanted to talk about it. On the last second, the speaker boomed somewhat quiter, "Ares wins!"

The crowd whispered a little bit before they all left, leaving Tsubaki and the fighter, "Tsubaki, that move was one that Dotew used a few years ago, it was the last fight he had here before he stopped being challenged by any of the other fighters. It's one of his less-painful moves, but still, the fact that Ares used it…"

Tsubaki sighed, "Well, Blackstar is strong…"

"I don't care how tough that kid is, Ares wouldn't ever use one of Dotew's moves, he's been beaten down ten times worse than that and still won, even though he could've used one of Dotew's moves to end it quicker. He must be fighting for something that really matters to Dotew… either that or Dotew tricked us into letting him fight. But Dotew doesn't break the rules"

Tsubaki looked at Ares, he'd taken a good beating, but out of every part of his body, he was gripping his right shoulder hardest. Ares left the ring, still holding onto his shoulder, "Hey, do you know if Dotew has a job?"

"Depends on what you mean by job"

"Does he work at Uncle Bob's?"

"I wouldn't know that for sure, but he did come in smelling like coffee today"

"Thank you", Tsubak left to grab Blackstar, hoping he wasn't hurt.

* * *

Ares tucked the money away in his pocket as Maka and Kid walked into the changing room, "What's up?"

Maka looked at his shoulder, "That looked really painful"

"Still stings like a son. Sorry I had to drag you out here, you can get home, right?"

Kid looked at Ares inquisitively, "Where are you going?"

"I have to go buy a dress"

Maka smiled and nodded, "We're fine, you go ahead"

* * *

Tsubaki sighed as she walked into her living room, she just missed Ares as he dashed out of the dojo, and then she had to carry an unconscious Blackstar home. She was about to lay down on her bed when she noticed him; Dotew was passed out on the bed already, a sticky note stuck on his shoulder.

Tsubaki picked it up and read it, "Look at the closet", she turned to see another note on her closet door. This one read, "Wear me".

Tsubaki thought out loud, "Wear me?", she opened her closet door and saw it, a beautiful, black dress, it shined from top to bottom, and beneath it, two black stilettos that were just her size. Tsubaki looked back at Dotew, whose hair was a normal brown, as he breathed slowly.

Tsubaki hugged him as she laid down to sleep, "Thank you, Dotew"

Dotew's lips folded themselves into a gentle smile as he dreamed gently.


	3. Chapter 3

Dotew smiled as he set down a single plate of curry onto the lunch table, it would only be a few more minutes before Tsubaki was done with class and came to eat. He was a little sad it was just the one plate, but if it was just the one, it wouldn't be as weird, would it? He put a not on it that read 'For Master Tsubaki', and started to walk out when he was frozen in his tracks by a stranger in a black hat.

The man was hiding his face using a big hat, but Dotew knew this stranger's scent all too well. The stranger walked past him and looked at the note, "Curry, huh?"

Dotew was shaking with fear, but he stood his ground, "That's for my master! Leave it alone!"

The stranger scoffed, "Master, eh? That explains the collar"

Dotew put his hand around the pendant that hung from his collar, "I'm proud to wear it!"

The stranger turned back towards him, "So who is it, the mutt or the guts?"

"I am Dotew! I'm not a mutt!"

"You're a mutt, that's all you ever were, and all you'll ever be, so take off that collar"

Dotew slowly took it off, "Please… stop…", he trembled as he dropped it on the floor.

"Now stand still", the stranger quickly thrust his hand over the table, knocking the plate to the floor, and then shattering it. Dotew flinched and looked enraged, but his feet remained anchored to the floor, "Good dog, now, follow me, don't make a peep, and don't even think about switching with the guts"

Dotew started walking behind the man, but before he left, he scribbled on the note that had fallen to the floor, without making a sound.

* * *

Tsubaki made her way to the front of the crowd, and found the scene of curry splattered across the table and floor. She could smell it from a distance, that was Dotew's curry, no doubt about it. She turned to Maka, who was holding a note in her hand. Maka handed it to Tsubaki, "It's for you"

Tsubaki read it out loud, "Master Tsubaki… run, hide, stay away from me, and please, be safe…"

Lord Death peaked at the note from behind Tsubaki, "This isn't good"

"Lord Death! Is Dotew alright?!"

The reaper frowned, "I'm afraid this is a matter you'll have to leave in my hands, Tsubaki. Right now, I'm taking every precaution I can to find Dotew and bring him home safely, in the meantime, it would be best for you to keep your guard up at all times"

"Who could have done this…?"

"Tsubaki, don't worry, I promise I'll bring him back, safe and sound"

Tsubaki had never felt unsure about a promise from Lord Death before, but now, her chest was pounding at the thought that Dotew might never come back, "Lord Death, can I help you search for him?"

"No, it would be too dangerous, what you can do right now is remain safe, here at the academy"

"But-"

"I'm sorry, Tsubaki, but this isn't up for debate, if Dotew went as far as to leave you a warning after being defeated, then I won't let his effort be in vain. As a student, as Lord Death, and as Dotew's friend, I cannot allow you to leave the DWMA, and that's final"

Tsubaki stood silently, her naturally meek personallity would've warranted the response normally, but Tsubaki couldn't take it anymore, she finally let herself explode, "No! I can't just sit around while he's out there, kidnapped by who-knows-what! I don't care if you have to expell me, I'm going to look for him!"

She was about to run out of the cafeteria when she found herself stopped by a slightly shorter reaper. Kid held his arms out to block her path, "Don't be rash and selfish!"

Tsubaki froze, her behavior was both, indeed, but she didn't care, "I can't-"

"Dotew would die in a heartbeat if you asked him to do so, don't you get that?! He handed you his complete loyalty and love, so you're just going to blow off his faith in you by ignoring his pleas?! Think about it! Your life is more sacred to him than his own, so you think he want you to throw it into the wind?!"

Tsubaki fell to her knees, tears falling from her cheeks as she sobbed, "Dotew… why…? Where are you…? Please… come home…"

Blackstar put his hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry, Tsubaki, I'm gonna find him, and I'm gonna bring him back"

She buried her face in his chest, "Thank you, Blackstar…"

He patted her back, "Don't mope, okay? I'll have him back before the dance tomorrow, so just relax"

Tsubaki slowly stood up and wiped her tears away, "… Just be careful, okay?"

Blackstar grinned, "Please, I'm gonna find him in no time, so just you watch!"

As he took off, Tsubaki looked to Kid, "Thank you, Kid, for talking me down"

Kid waved it off, "Forget about it, Dotew and you are very close friends, I couldn't let either of you get hurt"

Tsubaki looked to everyone, and she knew, that things would be alright.

* * *

Dotew's eyes shook as he looked forward, "Please… just back down"

From across the river, Justin Law smiled and shook his head, "I cannot, for it is my duty to my Lord to bring you back"

Dotew looked down, "Please, Justin… don't do this… you can still get away"

Justin took up a combat stance, "No, Dotew, for I can't leave you behind, either, even if it wasn't for my Lord's orders"

Dotew cringed as his fists tightened up, "I'm sorry… he won't let me… save you…"

From behind him, Dotew heard the voice command him, "Take care of this pest, mutt"

Dotew's eyes closed as he charged forward, and Justin heard through his headphones, just before he blacked out, "Forgive me, Justin…"

* * *

Maka sighed as she looked down at her book, she couldn't bring herself to really enjoy it. Every time she wrapped herself in the letters, she could almost hear Dotew's laughter. She closed it and sighed, when Blair peeked in through her door, "Worrying about Dotew?"

Maka bit her lip, "How could you tell?"

Blair smiled, "He told me about you and Kid's visit last night, you must've been surprised to see him like that, huh?"

"I never thought that he could be so…"

"Sensitive?"

"For lack of a stronger word"

"You know, he really likes to work there, at that café. He used to dream of doing something like that when he was little"

"Really?"

"Yeah, back when he was just a kid, he loved to pretend to be the prince, ready to do anything for his princess. I was amazed by how strong he was, but he always insisted that I was stronger, because without a princess, a prince is nothing more than a rich fool"

"Blair, I know I shouldn't pry, but do you have any idea who could've taken Dotew?"

"… I can't say that I do, aside from Lord Death and Tsubaki, there's nobody that could force Dotew to do anything, not even me"

"What about Dotew's first master? Didn't he have one before Lord Death?"

"That's impossible, his first master is dead. Lord Death watched him die"

"Then who else is strong enough? Other than Lord Death, there's nobody that I can think of who's strong enough to beat him"

"… I don't know, but there's no doubt in my mind that Lord Death will bring Dotew back safely, so we shouldn't worry about him"

"While we're on the subject, why is his hair blonde at the café?"

"Well, that's because the first time I read him a bedtime story, it was about a prince that saved the princess, you know, a fairy tale. Anyway, so when we got to the end of the story, he asked me what the prince looked like, so I told him that the prince was tall, had blue eyes, and blonde hair. At that moment, he told me someday he'd grow up to be a prince for all of the princesses out there that didn't have one, and then, later on, he started the café"

"That's… really sweet

"Yeah… so, what are you wearing to the dance?"

Maka held up her dress, "What do you think?"

"Wow! That dress looks amazing! How did you find it!"

"Dotew helped me pick it out, actually, he said it complimented my body shape"

"That's what I should do! I should wear the dress that Dotew made me!"

"Dotew made you a dress?"

"Mm-hm! It was my birthday just a few months ago, so he made me the most wonderful dress! I didn't think I'd get a chance to try it out, but now that I'm a teacher, I can wear it to the dance!"

"I wonder what a dress made by a blind guy looks like?"

"Oh, my gosh, Maka, it's perfect! He even made a special make-up kit to go with it, and once you put it all together, it's beautiful!"

"What color is it?"

"Um… it's kind of hard to think of the right word for the color of the dress… the best I can do is… purple"

"Purple?"

"Well, he did the stitch pattern in different ways, so that he could make sure he got the shades of purple in the right places"

"That sounds… different"

"Oh, don't worry, it's mind-numbingly pretty"

"How long did it take him to make it?"

"Oh, he spent two months trying to get it right. I could tell he was up to something, when he started having cuts on his fingers, but once he showed me the dress, I was totally blown away"

"He cut himself?"

"Well, he is blind, so it's only natural he'd accidentally hurt himself"

"But Soul said that he couldn't land a scratch on him, no matter how hard he hit him"

"Well, that's only when he puts his guard up, if Dotew isn't fighting, or he's with someone that make him feel safe, he's just like anybody else. He's only that tough around people he either doesn't trust or doesn't know"

"Well, he doesn't know Soul all that well… "

"Oh, it isn't Soul that Dotew has his guard up around"

"What? Why's that?"

"Dotew sees you and Soul as friends, especially since you kept his secret for him, he really trusts you"

"He trusts me?"

"You said he asked you to help him find clothes, too, right? Lately, you guys have shown Dotew that he can feel safe around you, I know, because he told me"

"He told you?"

"Yeah, he likes to talk when he's taking a bath, it makes him feel more at ease"

"I keep forgetting about that…"

Blair yawned, "I'm sleepy… let's get some rest so we won't be exhausted for the dance"

Maka sighed and jumped into her bed, she was worried about her friend, but there wasn't anything she could do for him now, so she decided she should get some sleep.

* * *

Dotew felt tears fall from his eyes as he stared at the gate to the city. Death City… it was as beautiful as it was fearsome in the strange moonlight. It was too much, he didn't deserve such a beautiful sight, not anymore. He tossed the unconscious Justin Law over the city limit and turned to leave when he heard a familiar voice, "I knew you couldn't kill him"

Dotew's expression darkened, but he remained facing away from the reaper, "Master Lord Death… I was hoping you wouldn't see me like this… are you alone?"

"I am, but you already knew that"

"Manners are important"

"That they are, but the people you care about are more so"

"… He told me I had to return, and that I couldn't allow anyone to follow me"

"I figured as much, but before you go could I pass you along a message?"

"It would be allowed"

"Tsubaki is very worried about you, just like Blair, and everyone else"

"… Master Lord Death… tell them to forget about me, so that they won't hurt, when I…"

"Dotew, do you remember what I told you, the day I met you?"

"… Salvation lies beyond your greatest mistake… I believed it then… but how can I now? I betrayed everyone, and attacked Justin. I don't deserve to have you as a Master…"

"Dotew, please, tell me what you can, so that I can help you"

"Tomorrow… I recieve a new order… I don't know what it is, but I have a bad feeling about it… worse than I had about… today's"

"Dotew, Justin is alive, that alone proves that you aren't evil. I'll bet you ran the whole way here, to get Justin to a hospital, as quickly as possible"

"Master Lord Death…"

"Tsubaki tried to run after you today"

"What?"

"I've never, in my entire life, seen Tsubaki lose her cool and disobey my orders. To be honest, I never thought I would, either, but today, she blew her top and absolutely insisted that she search for you. She was only stopped after Kid talked her down, he made her realize that you were trying to protect her, more than anything"

"… Master Lord Death… you'll keep her safe, right?"

"Of course I will, although with you, I don't think I'll be needed"

"I wish I could believe that… but he… he's growing more twisted with each order. He's losing himself, I can't get through to him, no matter what I do"

"Then just keep trying, just push as hard as you can, and pray that you will succeed"

"… Goodnight, Master Lord Death, I hope to see you again"

"Goodnight, Dotew, sweet dreams"

Dotew smiled as he walked away, he knew that tonight he would have nothing but nightmares, but to have the heartfelt effort of both of his other masters, it meant a lot to him.

* * *

Kid straightened his tie for the eighth time in four minutes, and Liz took notice, "Kid, will you relax? I'm sure that you'll give a good speech, just like you do every year"

Kid stopped messing with his tie, "Of course I will, I always do"

Patty laughed, "Kid's getting nervous, Kid's getting nervous!"

Kid ignored her as he looked to his father, who had begun his very short speech, "… and don't forget to have a good time!"

Kid got up on the stand, and started giving a speech that was much longer and probably more appropriate for a school event. Then dib walked into the room.

Kid was cut off mid-speech, his voice was useless as he stared at her; not only was she beautiful beyond belief, her dress was perfectly symmetrical. He leaned into the mic, "So, enjoy the dance!", with that, Kid got down and walked over to dib, too stunned to speak when he reached her. He was rescued by the music as dib held her hand out, saving him the trouble of stuttering to ask her to dance. He took them without hesitation, and the two of them began to twirl through the crowd.

dib was happy to just dance quietly as she stared into his eyes, and Kid couldn't do anything but get lost in hers. Maka smiled as she watched them from aside the dance floor. Blair smiled as she stood by Maka, "Looks like Kid took Dotew's advice"

"Yeah, I guess he did", Maka turned to Blair, and got a first glimpse of her dress. Her jaw hung as she saw it all; the entire dress was patterned so that the curves in it were nearly metallic, while the rest of it was filled in with unique patterns in different shade of purple that really drew attention to the contrast and just the alluring beauty of it all.

Maka made a mental note to ask for Dotew to make her a dress for her birthday, "You weren't kidding about that dress"

Blair smiled, her spot-on make-up bringing out the whiteness of her smile and the color in her eyes, "Told ya!"

Maka looked around, "I wonder where Tsubaki is, I was wondering what the dress Dotew got her looked like"

"Maka, look!", Blair pointed at Kid and dib, as the two of them locked lips in the center of the dancefloor. Maka wasn't very good at judging kisses from a distance, but she knew, Kid had done a good job. Soul stepped up next to Maka, "You wanted to dance?"

"I thought you didn't dance", Maka pouted

Soul sighed, "C'mon, I think you've earned a dance"

Maka was about to take his hand when the lights all went out at once. The room was completely dark, as red lights slowly faded in, revealing a lone figure who's eye shined through the black nothingness. A spotlight shone down on him, revealing his razor-sharp teeth and the long, black guitar he stroked gently. Then, his voice cut through the silence, "This party needs a little livening up, hang onto your screams for now, ladies and gentlemen, I'll be sure to savor them in a moment"

Soul pointed at the figure, "Who are you?!"

As he raised his head, everyone recognized him, but the terrible expression he made, it drove everyone back a step, "I am Amund, and now… I'll watch you scream…", he began striking off-key cords as the students around him crumpled. The sound was so loud and painful, even Soul felt like his head was about to explode.

Lord Death grabbed the guitar and ripped it away from him, "Dotew! Cease this at once!"

Dotew ran his hand through his now-black hair, "Dotew…? What a pathetic excuse for a name. I am not the barer of such a tedious label, I am Amund!", he head butted Lord Death taking his guitar, "And I say that only a mutt would stoop to a name like that!"

Amund struck at the strings violently, releasing a dreadful shockwave that sent everyone reeling, except for Lord Death, who grabbed him by the shoulders, "Dotew! Stop this madness!"

For a moment, Amund shivered, but once that moment ended, he grabbed Lord Death's hands and threw Lord Death into the nearest wall, "Shut up! This is me! This is who I am!", he was about to start wildly striking his guitar again when a hand stopped his mid-air.

He was about to strike its owner when he head her voice, "Dotew… please stop"

Amund was frozen in place, he couldn't face Tsubaki, now more than ever, "I… am not Dotew. I ran away, I attacked Justin Law, and now, I'm terrorizing the school. Dotew would never do any of these things"

Tsubaki moved his hand over her throat, while he still was unable to face her, "Dotew, please, stop doing this! I know that you can hear me so please, come back to me!"

Amund turned and tightened his grip, "My orders are to kill you… but not before I bite you", he bared his teeth.

Tsubaki didn't fight his hold, she simply held out her hand, "I trust you, Dotew, I know you'll do the right thing…"

Amund turned to look at her, he could tell she was wearing her dress without looking, but her pained expression when she looked into his eyes… was too much for him. He placed her hand in his mouth, but despite the pressure he applied, he never brought his jaw down hard enough to brake the skin. Though he tried with all of his might, in the end, all he did was release her, and stare at her, "… Master… Tsubaki…"

"Dotew, I-"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaugh!", Dotew gripped his head in pain, lightning flashed around his body as he crumpled to the floor, his wails of agony more piercing than his guitar chords. Even Tsubaki had to cover her ears to stop them from hurting, until all of a sudden, Dotew stopped screaming.

Tsubaki looked up to see Lord Death standing over Dotew, who was now unconscious, "Lord Death!"

The reaper sighed, "This is bad, Dotew has tried to brake his contract with his first master"

"I thought his first master was dead"

"Someone must've brought him back to life, in order to take Dotew under their control. Now, since he disobeyed his first master, every waking moment he has will be spent in unbearable agony, until his first owner rilinquishes his title or Dotew carries out his orders"

"… How can we help him?"

"Well, since the two of us are his masters, technically, we can still give him orders"

"Why don't we just order him not to be in pain?"

"Since it was his first master that ordered him to kill you, that order precedes any we would give him, much like a sorority rule. Until we find a way to help him, the most we can do is keep him sedated, so that he won't experience any more pain"

"Dotew... please, just let us help you!"

Dotew sprung to his feet and placed his blindfold in her hand, "Use the spell on this blindfold, and then, look for me, but do so... alone...", with another heavy thud, his eyes shut as he shook violently.

Lord Death looked at the blindfold, "Um... Tsubaki, if it would be alright, could I take a peek at that blindfold?"

Tsubaki reluctantly gave it to him, "I don't see any spell on this blindfold..."

The great reaper felt it with his large hand, "As I thought, part of the blindfold is stitched differently, that's how he must found it, by feeling it. We need someone who's an expert on magic, Blair!"

Blair stepped forward in her magnificent dress, "Y-Yes, sir?"

"What kind of spell is this?"

Blair felt the blindfold, making out the words, "This is a special linking spell, it connects the minds of the target and the caster, its like being able to walk into their dreams"

"So what would be the ramifications of using such a spell?"

"It isn't very dangerous, it's just like sharing a dream with someone, but this kind of spell would only work if the people on both sides of the spell accept it. It would be hard for anyone that shelters themselves, and with this kind of tight link, there can only be one person using this spell at a time"

"Hm... I'll attempt to bring him back, Blair, if you could hand me the blindfold", Blair placed it in his hand, "Thank you, now, let's see... ahem. One near, one dear, be servant or one in command, please do this as a request, and not as demand. A cry, a plea, heard when we're apart, means that even away, we're close deep in heart. So please, I ask, let me take away your burden, and show me what it is that weighs down your heart"

For a long moment, there was a heavy silence, then, Lord Death let out a terrible cry as a spark shot from his forehead. Tsubaki got worried, "Lord Death! Are you okay?!"

The reaper rubbed his forehead, "I'm alright, but it seems that Dotew isn't willing to let me into his mind. I can't reach him, I'm afraid you'll have to try, Tsubaki"

Tsubaki shook, "I... have to help him"

Blackstar patted Tsubaki's shoulder, "Don't worry Tsubaki, I'm sure you can do it!"

"Blackstar... thank you, for supporting me"

He smiled, "Hey, we're partners, it's what I do!"

Blair patted her shoulder, "Just remember, Tsubaki, that Dotew is a lot more sheltered than he appears, I'm sure his head's full of crazy stuff that even I don't know about, so be careful"

Tsubaki took a deep breath in, "One near, one dear, be servant or one in command, please... do this as a request, and not a demand. A cry, a plea, heard when we're apart... means that even away, we're close deep in heart. So please, I ask, let me take away your burden... and show me what it is that weighs down your heart", the second she finished saying it, she fell into a deep sleep on the floor.

* * *

Tsubaki opened her eyes, and found herself looking at a strange sight: Dotew... and Dotew... and Dotew? She was staring at three of them, each with a different hair color. The one on the left was sitting backwards in a chair with black hair, the one in the middle stood with his hands in his pocket, his fiery red hair as bold as he seemed indifferent. The one on the right had his hand extended towards her, his bright, white smile matched only by his bright, blonde hair. Tsubaki became more confused as each of them spoke in unison, "So, _you're_ the one that he let in?"


	4. Chapter 4

Tsubaki looked at the three of them with a questioning look, "... What?"

The black-haired Dotew on the left scoffed, "Sheesh, I figured he'd pick an idiot, but really, she's _this_ stupid?"

The blonde Dotew on the right sighed, "Amund, you're being very rude to this beautiful, young woman, how dare you?"

The red-haired one in the middle looked at her seriously, "Tsubaki, as you could guess, I'm Ares, Dotew's other self"

Tsubaki figured it out, "So, these two are his other personalities as well?"

"Not quite, these two are both sides of Dotew's original personality, brought about by the same person. They're both a part of the real Dotew, but neither of them are complete"

Amund stuck his nose up in the air, "Pfft, like I need a worthless man-whore like that to live"

The blond put his hand on his chest, "To refer to me with such vile language! I am no such beast!"

"So you've never had more than one lover at a time?"

"Of course I have! What kind of heartless, selfish, and undignified prince would dare turn away any princess?! To refuse a beautiful princess her desires, only a cruel, heartless cur would regard such a thought as acceptable"

"Like I said, Romeo, you're a man-whore"

"I don't care for your comments, Amund, all you do is make people cry"

"It's my job to scare people senseless, if I didn't, we'd be broke, not that you care, spending it all on that stupid mansion"

Ares lost it, "Would the two of you shut up?! We have a serious problem here! Neither of you are helping us get the kid back on his feet!"

The other two turned to look at Ares at the same time, "Like you care, you just don't want to lose your precious body"

Tsubaki was lost, so she decided to be forward, "Where's the _real_ Dotew?"

All three of them shut up, then spoke in unison again, "We have no clue"

"What do you mean, you don't know where he is?! Aren't you a part of his brain?!"

"Only a part, when you dream, there's no telling where your mind could drift. Your guess is as good as ours, his brain is a labyrinth that none of us can navigate"

Tsubaki looked around, to see that there was nothing but a blank, white floor, that stretched for miles, "Hey, what kind of floor is this?"

"Huh?"

Tsubaki bent down and felt the floor, it was waxed marble, "This is a dance floor, like the ballroom at the academy. Dotew can't see colors... is he dreaming about the dance?"

The three people before her became stunned, and Romeo spoke his mind, "The dance... it _does_ smell like the dance floor at the mansion..."

Amund put his hand to his chin, "The sound bounces like it did before I passed out, too..."

Ares slapped his forehead, "Of course he'd be dreaming about that, he worked himself useless trying to get that dress"

Tsubaki tilted her head, "So, he's nearby?"

"Like we said, we couldn't find the kid right now if we tried"

Tsubaki sighed, "Then could you at least help me look for him?"

Amund groaned, "If he doesn't wake up, neither would the man-whore, but since that means I wouldn't either, I have no choice but to help you, so don't get us lost.

Romeo held his hand out, "For a fair princess, anything"

Ares started walking forward, "This could take a while..."

Tsubaki saw something in the distance, "Hey, who's that?"

Everyone looked to see a student they didn't know, their skin and clothes were all black and white, void of all color as he danced with a partner that was as colorless as he was. The students danced past them and then vanished, like they had never been there. Ares watched them vanish, "Those are students from the academy, they were at the dance"

"Maybe they were black and white because Dotew can't know what color they are"

"That theory might not hold up, look", Ares pointed to a handful of people that Tsubaki recognized in full color: Patty in a beautiful blue dress, Blair, in her stunning and alluring dress, and Maka, in the beautiful scarlet dress that brought out a new beauty in her.

"Why are they in color?"

Romeo smiled, "A princess in full blossom deserves a dress and color that draws out their inner beauty, sadly, only words of color reach our dear Dotew, so he couldn't dream of other people in color"

"Oh, so he only can see what he knows about. Hey, isn't that Dotew there?"

Everyone looked to see a depressed-looking Dotew, staring at the floor without saying or doing anything. Amund tapped his shoulder, "Hey, c'mon, let's go, I'm tired of waiting, I wanna get out of here"

Dotew just stared quietly, he didn't even bother to look up for a second, or move. Ares squatted down and tried to get Dotew's attention by snapping his fingers, "Hey, kid! Wake up!"

Romeo frowned as he stared at Dotew, "That's strange, he's not as cheerful as normal. That's a shame, the princesses love to see him when he's smiling"

Tsubaki tried to get within his sight, "Dotew, are you okay? You look down"

Dotew sighed, "I'm fine, I'm just sad I won't get to dance with Master Tsubaki at the school dance, but I asked Ares to, so it should be alright, right?"

"But what if she wanted to dance with you?"

Dotew looked a little sadder, "Don't say that, it makes me feel sadder. But, this is a dream, right? Maybe I can dance with her here..."

"Then we should dance, okay?"

Dotew looked up, and then held Tsubaki close as he started to dance slowly, a soft melody playing in the background. He smiled, "Even though it's just my imagination, I think you look really beautiful in that dress"

"Thank you, I'm really happy that you got it for me"

"Well... I know that you wouldn't go buy one, so I tried to make sure that you had one for the dance"

"I heard about what you did to get it, it means a lot that you put so much effort into getting it"

"No... it wasn't that much... besides, I really do love you, Master Tsubaki"

Tsubaki looked at him, her face red as a beet, "Dotew..."

Dotew smiled, "I'd never have the guts to tell you, though, I guess that makes me a coward. It's ironic, that I can show my love better than I can say it... even though I try to make every girl happy, when it comes to you, I'm so clueless... how dumb is that?"

Tsubaki hugged him tightly, "That's so sweet, to try so hard, even when you feel like you're not getting anywhere, you just keep pushing, don't you?"

Dotew held her gently, "I do... because I really just want to hold you, like I do now. But... I'm too afraid to let you in, to let you see everything I've done, to see all of who I am, I would be terrified if you were here right now, to see the destructive side I hide, or the childish side of me I can't live without. What would I do if you got scared off? Would you hate me for all the girls I've been with, or for all the people I've purposely terrified? If you hated me... I don't know what I'd do"

"I could never hate you"

"I wish that I could really hear you say that, but with everything I've done, I wouldn't blame you for hating me"

"Dotew..."

"I mean, to be honest, I spend half of my time flirting with girls…"

Amund smiled and pointed at Romeo, "Told ya! Man-whore!"

"... and spend the other half getting paid to make people cry"

Romeo smiled triumphantly, "Like I said, I have a much nobler cause"

"Either way, I don't think I could ever deserve love from you, at least, not in the way I want… Master Tsubaki"

Tsubaki stopped dancing, and then laid a hard slap across Dotew's face, "You're an idiot"

Everyone stood, stunned, only Dotew could speak, "Master…"

"Of course I love you! Stop being an idiot! If you really love me that much, just say so! Stop being so guarded! If you want me to be with you…", she pulled him in close, "… you have to let me in"

Dotew froze up, he didn't know what was going on, was this real? Or a dream? No, it didn't matter if it was or wasn't real, he threw everything in the wind, and he kissed Tsubaki without a second thought. Tsubaki felt the soft touch of his lips, and she realized that he was doing more than just being open with her, he was letting every barrier he had down, and was trusting Tsubaki.

* * *

Tsubaki opened her eyes, and saw everyone standing over her. She sat up, realizing that she had been laying in an infirmary bed. She turned to her right to see that Dotew was still asleep, "Dotew..."

Maka leaned towards him, "Hey, Tsubaki, whatever you did, it's working! His soul is pushing away the shockwaves!"

Everyone observed as the lightning around his body twisted itself into a chain, which sub-sequentially shattered. Lord Death clapped, "Good job, Tsubaki! It's official! Dotew is free of his bond with his first master!"

The shock continued as a new electrical current ran over Dotew's body, this current was black, but aside from that, it formed a chain and shattered just like the other current. Kid observed it, then tried to figure out what it was, "Did he just break the connection with you as his master, father?"

The reaper sweated, "It would appear so, now Tsubaki is his only master"

Everyone held their breath as a third current swept over Dotew's body, this one was a bright pink, and formed a chain as well. However, this chain tugged and pulled strongly, without shattering, and then gently was absorbed into Dotew's skin, forming a heart over the center of his chest. Once it burned through his clothes, it was apparent that the shape was now a permanent part of his body.

As he continued to breath softly, Dotew smiled. Everyone let out the breath they'd been holding when the door swung open, and a very beat-up Justin Law walked through the door. He was covered in bruises and scratches, and his left arm was broken, but Justin smiled like he always did, "So, how is Dotew?"

Dotew's eyes fluttered open, "Justin…"

Justin sat down beside Dotew's bed and cradled his head, "Dotew, I'm so sorry, I failed both you and my Lord…"

Dotew smiled, "It's not your fault Justin… I know you did your best"

"That doesn't matter, I still failed you… that's unacceptable"

Dotew pulled him in for a hug, "Justin, you're too hard on yourself, I could never ask you to strike me, I know you couldn't bare the thought of it"

"But still… you needed me, and I was weak… I'm pathetic"

Dotew kissed his forehead, "You big dummy, you're amazing, that's why you failed. How could anyone expect someone to beat a fellow servant of Master Lord Death?"

While everyone else was too busy being confused, Justin smiled at Dotew, "You and my Lord… you are both so forgiving"

Dotew licked a scratch on Justin's face, "I'm still mad at you for making me hit you, though"

Justin laughed, "I wonder what divine punishment I'll receive…"

"It's not divine punishment, I'm just upset that you made me hurt you"

"That reminds me, in that fight, you got very dirty, you probably need a bath right now, don't you?"

"No! I don't need a bath! I swear!", Dotew jumped up to run, then collapsed as soon as his feet hit the floor.

Justin caught him and sighed, "Oh, Dotew, even now, you still fear baths so much. Tsubaki?"

Taubaki snapped out of her confusion, "Yes?"

"You should give him a bath now, while he's too tired to fight against it"

"M-M-Me?!"

"Of course, you _are _his permanent master now"

"P-Permanent master?"

"It means that Dotew accepted you as more than just a master, you are his only master, and you're the only one he'll ever have from now on. He's devoted himself to you over everyone else in the world. To be honest, I'm a little jealous"

"Devoted… to?"

Dotew stood up, "Let me go, I'm fine, besides, there's something I need to do"

* * *

Dotew smiled as he continued to play the violin, he was happy to make amends for ruining the first school dance, so he held a second one the night after, and personally set everything up, the food, the drinks, the decorations, he even played every song himself, expanding the possibilities of each instrument as he created a symphony using each one.

Once he finished the violin solo, he grabbed the microphone, "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm aware that this is supposed to be a school dance, but if I may, there are some people I need to make amends with more than I do anyone else, so, if Death the Kid and dib would come to the center of the dance floor, please"

Kid and dib were both surprised as they were pushed to the center of the dance floor by Liz and Patty. Kid looked to Dotew, "What is the meaning of this?!"

"I saw that I interrupted your dance yesterday, so today, I want to make it up to you with a special song dedicated to you two", Dotew picked up a saxophone and began to play a slow and spirited tune. Though they wanted to watch dib and Kid dance, the rest of the crowd got so caught up in the tune that they couldn't help but dance.

With the entire dance floor full, Kid felt more at ease, like he wasn't being watched. His gaze was now filled by dib's beautiful smile, "dib… there's something I need to tell you"

The song came to an end as dib pulled Kid in, taking full advantage of the moment to whisper in his ear, "I know, Kid… because I love you, too"

Dotew smiled as he watched Kid plant one right on her lips, he had planned it all out with dib beforehand, but the way it was perfectly executed, Dotew was impressed. He waited for them to get off the dance floor before he straightened his tie, "And now, my final number for the night, this one goes out to my dear friend Maka, who was there for me when I couldn't be there for myself"

He took a bow before he walked over to a piano and adjusted his fingers to the keys, "Before I begin, would Maka and Soul please come to the center stage? This piece is an original, based off of Soul's unique style, so please, I do hope you enjoy this oddly compelling piece"

Soul was going to look at the piano, but Maka caught him off-guard and took his hands, "I told you that I wanted to dance last year, so this year, you don't get a choice"

Soul would've protested, but his voice was cut off by the sound of the piano. The notes were slow and seemingly random, yet in that order, they created a somewhat beautiful song that was perfect for Maka to dance to, even if she was clumsy in her new heels.

Maka smiled, "Isn't this nice?"

Soul smiled, "You have gotten much better, as a dancer"

"Soul, are you worried about me, now that I'm supposed to be the weapon?"

Soul sighed, "… Yes, I-… I'm terrified that I'll screw up and get you killed. Pretty uncool of me, huh?"

Maka held her hand over her mouth, trying to contain her laughter, "Pfft… ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Soul grimaced, "What's so funny?"

"Soul… that's how I feel every day when I use you as my weapon. It's how every miester feels, it's okay, you big dummy. No matter how hard we fall, I know that you'll be there to catch me"

Dotew smiled as he let the piano fall silent as he pulled a string that had remained hidden during the dance. Since the other end was tied to Maka's heel, she fell instantly, forcing Soul to brake her fall. Maka looked down at Soul, as he lay against the floor, "I'm sorry, I don't know why I…"

Soul looked away, "It's alright, I don't mind…"

Maka looked down and noticed that Soul's tie had come undone, "Here, let me fix your tie"

As she started to fix it, Dotew raised finger, forcing one section of the floor up, shoving Soul's lips into Maka's. It was so sudden and strange, but neither of them dared let it go, the two of them both leaned into the sudden kiss, as Dotew smiled mischievously on the stage. His smile broke when he heard footsteps, those of a girl about his height, with a ponytail, "Hey, Master Tsubaki, are you enjoying the dance?"

Tsubaki smiled, "You didn't have anything to do with that, did you?"

"I'm a lover, a fighter, and a best friend, so it probably did, but then again, I just sped up the inevitable. Two people like that, they're meant for each other"

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, I can tell, her eyes shift when she looks at him, and his smell changes whenever he thinks about her. The only real surprise is that they hadn't done this sooner"

"Speaking of things that need to be done, do you want to dance?"

"D-Dance? Me?"

"It _is_ a dance for the school, and aren't you a part of it now?"

"B-But I can't dance…"

"I'll lead, it'll be fine"

"No, if I go out there, I'll just fall and make you look bad"

"It's okay if you fall, I'll help you get back up"

"The music will throw off my echolocation, I'll be totally directionless out there"

"Then you'll have to trust me", Tsubaki held out her hand.

Shaking, Dotew took it, "Just, be careful, okay?"

Tsubaki led him out onto the dance floor as a band began to play. She started off slow, trying to teach him the steps one at a time. He was starting to get the hang of it when his foot slipped and he hit the floor hard, "Are you alright?!"

Dotew felt tears falling down his face, "… I just messed up your perfect dancing, I'm sorry master, I'll excuse myself…", he dragged himself in the direction of the door, unwittingly crashing into the punch-bowl table. After he effectively drenched himself in the sticky fruit juice, he calmly rose to his feet and walked back towards the door, hitting his head on the doorway.

He held onto his impact points as he exited the room. As he dashed away, Dotew felt like the biggest moron on the planet, he knew he couldn't dance, he'd tried to, many times before, but he always landed on his butt, no matter what tricks he tried to use to keep on his feet. Why did he think he could dance now? He was just fooling himself.

* * *

Tsubaki sighed, she didn't mean to upset Dotew, she just wanted him to have his dream. Blair tapped Tsubaki on her shoulder, "Tsubaki, by any chance… did you dance with Dotew in his dream, yesterday, that is?"

"Yes, why?"

Blair sighed, "I was afraid of that… you see, Dotew's always loved dancing, but no matter how hard he tries, he can't dance"

"He can't dance?"

"Nope, he went to private dance lessons for two years straight before he finally gave up trying to dance. He was so sad, so I can imagine he would dream of being able to dance. I feel kinda bad for him, he tried so hard for so long, it really brought me to tears when I saw him quit"

"… What have I done?"

"Don't blame yourself, Tsubaki, Dotew may have fallen down, but for him to at least _try _dance, that's something I never thought I'd see again. Besides, you couldn't have know that he can't dance, only a few people do"

"… Is there anything I can do to make it up to him?"

"Well, if you tried to cheer him up, he'd feel bad about you trying to console him over a mistake he considers to be his fault. Then again, if you punished him, instead of feeling better like he normally would, he might see it as you being mad at him… it would probably be best if you just leave him alone and let him try to cheer himself up"

"Well, where he go to do that? I just want to know where he'll be, so I won't worry about him"

Blair felt herself begin to sweat, "Don't worry about him, he'll be fine"

"Don't say that! It makes me worry more!"

Kid put his hand on her shoulder, "Tsubaki, Dotew is more than capable of taking care of himself, just leave him be"

"You know, don't you, Kid? Why won't you tell me?!"

Kid flinched, "What? No, how could I possibly-"

Patty burst into the room, "Hey! Tsubaki! I need someone to come with me to a fancy party tonight at an old mansion, could you come with me?!"

Kid turned to see Patty was begging Tsubaki with her big puppy-dog eyes, "Um, Patty, what time is this party at?"

"It's at midnight! It's gonna be freaking awesome!"

"Patty… you shouldn't be going to parties after midnight…"

Tsubaki smiled, "Sure! Maybe it'll help me get my mind off of today's incident"

Patty started whooping over Kid's attempts to dissuade Tsubaki, "WHOO-HOO, YAY! THIS IS AWESOME!"

Maka saw what was going on and stepped in, "Hey, Patty? Why don't we all go? It would be nice if everyone went right?"

Patty gasped, "That's a really cool idea! Thanks, Maka, I'll go tell Liz she has to come, too!", Patty darted off, leaving a trail of smoke behind her.

Maka lead in to whisper into Kid's ear, "We're gonna have to explain it to Liz, dib, and Soul, that way they can help us keep the situation under control. This could get messy"

Kid sighed, "Let's just hope that Dotew doesn't make this too much harder on himself"

* * *

Romeo stood at the top of the stairs as he shouted, making sure all the girls could hear him. He held his hand out, "My dearest princesses, if I me so selfish, tonight, I am going to attempt to dance, but I must warn you, I am talentless when it comes to dancing… so if you could find it in your hearts to assist me, I would very much appreciate it. And of course, each participant will recieve a free scheduled night with any of our patrons of your choice, thank you"

Maka and Kid were glad that they stepped into the mansion before anyone else, but how were they supposed to deal with this…?

* * *

_**Next time on Soul Eater(fanfic**_** version):**

Maka sighed as she picked Romeo up off the floor, "How many times have you fallen down tonight?"

Romeo fought back tears as he got his feet back on the the ground, "Thirty-seven… but, I can't give up!"

"You really love Tsubaki, don't you?"

"I do, but, I need to do this for myself, too. I've dreamed for so long… that I could move side-by-side with another person, while music plays. Without the ability to see, it's nearly impossible… but I can do it, I don't need my eyes!"

"Wouldn't you like to see? Like, maybe find a spell that allows you to see?"

Romeo frowned, "No… my eyes are charmed, the only way I could ever use them is… if I wanted to see the first and last thing as myself, before turning into a monster"

"Tasting blood would let you use your eyes?"

"Yeah, that's why I made Lord Death promise to watch me, because sometimes, I just want to see the smile on people's faces, without having to guess colors or shapes. But for now, I've seen Master Tsubaki in my dreams, and she even smiled, so that's enough for me, I don't need to see anymore"

"Really?"

"Of course, if I know how beautiful Master Tsubaki's smiled is and I can help her keep smiling, what more do I need?", he was smiling, right up until he tripped over his foot and landed right on his face.

Maka didn't move, "Are you okay?"

"Ow… yeah, I'm okay. But I think thirty-eight is enough for one night… I'm gonna go… somewhere else"

(0|0)

\/\/\/

Kid sweated as he shouted to Patty, "Are you sure this is the place?!"

Patty could barely hear him over the booming music, but she was too busy dancing to care about what he said anyway, "It's been so long since I've gotten to rock out here, this is awesome!"

Kid turned to look at the D.J. to find that it was a familiar face. The D.J. pulled off his headphones, "Alright, party people! This is Amund, coming to you with the best tunes I got! Now, it's been a year since I've come to you with that special it-factor that makes the Shout Shack what it is! So now, I'm giving you all I got!"

Patty held out two earplugs for Kid, "Take these! If you don't, Liz will blow out your eardrums!"

Liz started to sweat, "Patty… what are you talking about…?"

Amund spun the disc and the lights began to change, making the room dark enough to see shapes, but not enough to recognize anything, "For the faint of heart, I suggest you keep your eyes closed and remember, technically, I'm not allowed to hurt you…"

**To be continued on: Relentless Trials, Harsh Light and Shifty Darkness?**


End file.
